Question

Indoor Cam Question: I’m not comfortable with the idea of an indoor camera recording while I’m home. Has anyone used a smart plug and plugged the camera in. Then use an Alexa routine to turn on the plug when ring is armed? Basically killing power to the cam in home and disarmed mode?  

Answer 1

Just turn off the record feature in the app. Live view still available.  

Answer 2

Idevices smart plug and outlet, homekit automation set to turn on when I leave and turn off when I get home.  

Answer 3

I have a smart plug and an indoor cam, I use SimpleCommands. com to set up a routine that runs automatically

Answer 4

If they are in your system they probably can just turn on your smart plugs. just saying.  

Comments

@hamrick I was assuming that a dedicated person that 'wanted' to look around a person's house would of already cracked your password on your cloud hosted and controlled cheap smart plug that the internal Ring camera is plugged into.  

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@hamrick Single fisherman in an ocean of fish.  

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Just change passwords frequently if that worried.  

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@floozy yeah. It becomes easier if you advertise the make of IoT devices you use as they know which ones to concentrate on. lol but seriously if you are worried about a casual virtual intruder then just change your passwords frequently. If someone really wanted to get into your system, because we are all that important, then using cloud security is not going to keep them out very long.  

Answer 5

I used to run my indoor cams on smart plugs before Ring came out with modes. Since the modes release, I don't need to worry about it anymore. That being said, super easy with a smart plug. Plug the smart plug in, set it up, verify it works. then you have two options: 1. Make some routines for when you leave to turn it on. 2. Manually turn it on when you leave the house through your smart plug app.  

Answer 6

Yes modes is great, I decided to add a few more indoor cameras because of it. I wish they would allow us to have more than 3 modes. I would love a home but awake, sleep, away. Like door between home and garage, I would like disabled during home but awake and the exterior alarms still be on, etc.  

Comments

This is something that was asked for already, I am hoping they listen and release that 4th custom mode. There were discussions that it would happen eventually.  

Answer 7

Yes, I do exactly what you are describing except I use Apple HomeKit for the smart plug. Works great.  

Comments

@floozy nope

Answer 8

Do you only get Modes if you have a Ring Alarm? I have two doorbells, a floodlight cam and two indoor cams but no alarm and I don’t see this Modes that people talk about.  

Comments

@floozy Ok so it’s tied to having an alarm which I don’t have.  

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@peebles Modes is rolling out to everyone, not just Alarm users.  

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@stromberg50 ok thanks. I guess I didn’t get it yet.  

Answer 9

Sounds like Ring is addressing this. It was a concern for me as well and one of the reasons I went back to Nest-i liked the idea of geo fencing, cameras down when I'm home on when I leave - I don't want to have to remember to do anything. BUT. For the third time! I'm back with ring, far more value - alarm system, monitoring, cams, for 100. 00 year + neighborhood watch/events, all under one app. Service has been superior!  

Answer 10

@floozy - I don’t have access to “Modes” but do exactly as you described. If my Ring Alarm is “Away”, the Amazon smart plug turns on to power my Ring Indoor Camera. If the Ring Alarm is “Disarmed”, the plug powers off the camera completely. Very simple and, so far, reliable setup.